WFA1L Review - Two years on...

[InisBineest]

About two years ago I excitedly wrote this: https://enoughgun.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=12650&start=30


However there were a few limitations to that as at the time I was basically commenting on my first impressions of the rifle. Question is, how did all that age? The answer is.... Pretty well! There is not really anything I would take back, the Warwick has served me superbly over the last two years, so much so that I got into casting and bought a new 300 Blackout upper with the FABA pump kit for some cheaper plinking fun!

But, I would like to add a few comments that I wasn't able to prior due to lack of experience in the platform.

Accuracy: This rifle is pretty damn accurate! I run it more of a varmint rifle now, and as such it has a Leupold Mark AR 6-18 scope on it. This makes sub 1 inch groups at 100m very much a breeze. I am using 62gr TAP reloads that have seen only minor load development and are very much not tailored specifically for this rifle... But 0.7-1.2" groups at 100m are pretty normal supported off the bipod. Would I use it as a target rifle? Eh, maybe not, but it wouldn't be terrible either. I think this is definitely a field gun here though.

Reliability: Of the thousand or so rounds Ive had through it now, I can recall exactly 2 failures to feed and one sticky extraction. Not bad in my books. The failures to feed were easy to explain too... Don't ride the bolt as it closes, let it shut under its own spring compression.
The sticky extraction, no idea. It was one round in a batch of 300 handloads from the same session. Sounded fine, but had to beat the bolt handle to get it out. Every round before and after was fine. Go figure. Not one failure to fire either... Which leads me to the next point.

The Trigger: Is gone. I replaced it. I tried adjusting the original with a little success, but it was still too heavy for me. I contacted Jeff from Oceania Precision as he had shown some trigger units on his Facebook page, and he was happy to sell me one that was a crisp 3lbs. Much more to my tastes and dropped in fine. Also, no light primer strikes, still runs 100% As a side note, I'm pretty sure Warwick rifles now come with a nicer two stage trigger... But don't quote me on that.

Weight: I mean, it hasn't lost any:P It is still heavy, and if I could do it again, it get the light profile 16" barrel, just to shave off a bit. I don't shoot fast enough to need the extra heat sink! That said, the scope Ive got on it, and the extra bits are either all light weight or QD so I remove what I'm not using at the time. Off the back of a buggy it wears an Olight Javalot pro, a bipod and a sling. Heavy as, but just fine for supported shots at night time pests.

300 Blackout: So I saved some pennies and bought a new upper. This time, a 14" light weight barrel, with a long forend and a complete bolt and receiver. Why that last bit? So the FABA kit can be mounted and not need to be unscrewed each time I swap uppers! I haven't shot it much yet, but I can say the swap between uppers is a 15 second job and your good to go. It is also quite a bit lighter, nearly 700g in total with a lighter optic (Vortex Spitfire 3x).
I can't really comment much on that particular set up as I've not fired more than 10 test shots for load development, but the plan is for 225gr cast subsonic loads for target fun and any bunnies that are unfortunate enough to get too close!

Bottom line: I love this rifle. If you are interested and have the coin, definitely look into it. Warwick make a WFA2 now in 308 that they have just started getting out too.

If you have the means and the interest, I can attest that a Warwick rifle is worth it. But also, cast an eye over to Oceania Precision as well. I haven't handled one, but their SP-25 and SP-15 rifles are highly rated by their owners.

And yes, all of these rifles are on the higher end of pricing, but remember where they come from and how they are made. Warwick is not Remington, they are small family company based in Melbourne and Oceania Precision is a (relatively) one man show! That is some serious quality coming out from some all Aussie underdogs in an industry that is not well supported in Australia. Definitely get behind them if you can!

The FABA pump kit too, Aussie made by Ignition Custom Engineering in SA. I haven't used it much yet, but geez it's a nice but of kit!

It's never cheap, but if you can, jump in and support some Aussie made kit, you won't regret it!
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[MontyShooter]

I'm a big fan of my wfa1. It's an early original model with the adjustable trigger and is ridiculously accurate with 62g tap ammo also.
It lost a bit in the looks department when they moved to the light model and I have no interest in up (down) grading personally. I use the iceng forward assist thing which has saved my knuckles from being beat up by spent cases.
By far the best mod has been the magpul ubr2 buttstock. That things a game changer.
My Warwick must be 5-6 years old now with thousands of rounds downrange. It's still a 1/4 moa gun.

[in2anity]

Cool how you can quickly jump between calibers.

[InisBineest]

Cool how you can quickly jump between calibers.

Just open it up, tap out a retained pin, swap uppers and push the pin back in:)

[Bugman]

They appear to be a very well made bit of kit. For a person of my age, they are too Arnold Schwarzeneggerish for my taste, however, that said if I was younger , then maybe I would consider one, if I could afford it.

[linkoln]

I have the original heavy model and the biggest problem I have is it is sometimes extremely tight on the extraction I don't think there is one day I have come home from the range without body knuckles.

[InisBineest]

I have the original heavy model and the biggest problem I have is it is sometimes extremely tight on the extraction I don't think there is one day I have come home from the range without body knuckles.

If you haven't already, get in touch with Scott, he's been pretty good too work with on my end. I had a small problem with the nitride finish on the bolt carrier.I contacted them, let them know, they asked me to send it in and replaced it immediately. That for something that wasn't really a bit issue too